Ore-grinding mill.



No. 893,535. PATENTED JULY 14, 1908. 0. D. MQLURE.

ORE GRINDING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@' 6 6 I Ita 1%??? No. 893,535. Q PATENTED JULY 14 1908. C. D. MOLURE.

ORE GRINDING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1a. 1905.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

PAT-ENTED JULY 14, 1908.

0. D. MoLURE.

ORE GRINDING MILL.

APPLIOATION IIL'BD JUNE 16, 1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

CHARLES D. MoLURE, OF ST. LOUIS MISSOURI.

ORE-GRIN DIN G MILL.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, CHARLES D. MOLURE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Grinding Mills, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a parthereof.

My invention relates to an ore grinding mill of the Chilian type and particularly adapted for the wet grinding of metalliferous rock.

The object of my invention is to construct an ore grinding mill wherein the weight of the entire supply of material that is to be ground by said mill is transferred to the grinding wheels, and consequently their normal pressure upon the grinding surface is greatly increased, and correspondingly increasing the efficiency of the mill.

A further object of my invention is to yieldingly and resiliently mount the grinding wheels in the frame of the mill in order that they will bear more evenly upon the grinding surface and will not tend to jump in passing over the larger particles of material arranged upon the grinding surface.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means for more readily separating the free particles of ore from the ore bearing material after the same has been deposited onto the grinding surface or in the path of travel of the grinding wheels.

To the above purposes my invention consists in a base, which carries a grinding surface in the form of a track, a framework adapted to be rotated above said base, a series of grinding wheels yieldingly held in same frame, and a hopper carried by said frame and which is adapted to receive the material that is to be ground.

My invention further consists in certain new and novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully shown, specified, and claimed.

I11 the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved mill, a part of the hopper being broken away in order to clearly illustrate the parts beneath said hopper. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail section of a modiiied form of a bearing yoke that I make use of and which is seen in section in the center Patented July 14, 1908. 1905. Serial No. 265,417.

I of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the base of my improved mill, all of the parts operating thereon being removed. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circular grinding surface or track of my improved mill, the same being laid out on a straight line. Fig. 7 isv an enlarged detail section taken approximately on the line 77 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detail section illustrating one of the ore discharge spouts of my improved mill and showing an amalgamating cup connected thereto.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the circular base of my improved mill, the same being in the form of a very flat cone and being made hollow as indicated by 2, in order to form a steam chamber. A steam inlet pipe 3 enters this hollow base at a point near the center, and a steam outlet pipe 4 leads from said base at a point near the outer edge thereof. Formed integral with the center of said base is a vertically arranged bearing 5, which receives the lower end of a vertically arranged shaft 6.

Formed integral with the edge of the base 1 is an annular trough 7, the top surface of which is in a horizontal plane below the top surface of the conical base 1, and formed integral with the outer edge of this trough 7 is an upwardly and outwardly projecting wall 8. Formed through this wall and on opposite sides of the base are elongated discharge openings 9, and formed integral with the wall 8 and leading outwardly from said openings 9 are discharge chutes 10. Positioned within these chutes 10, immediately against the walls 8 and over the openings 9, are rectangular frames 11 that are provided with sections of wire netting 12.

The top surface of the annular trough -7 inclines upwardly from the openings 9 in both directions toward the points A, which are midway between said openings 9 (seeFig. 6). The incline faces between said openings 9 and the points 8 are indicated by B, and this arrangement is provided in order that the material being ground in the trough 7 will gradually gravitate through said trough 7 from the points A down said incline surfaces to the openings 9.

Formed integral with the base 1 on opposite sides thereof and at points adjacent the chutes 10 are the metal discharge spouts 13, and there being discharge apertures 14 leading from the trough 7 downwardly to said spouts 13. Located in the center of the trough 7 is a continuous track 15 of hardened metal, and which forms a fixed grinding surface of my improved mill, this track being narrower than the width of the trough and arranged in the center thereof, so as to leave spaces 16 on each side of said trough. The apertures 14 previously mentioned lead downwardly from these spaces 16 to the passage through the spouts 13. A series of sectional plates 17 in the form of segments are removably positioned on top of the base 1, their outer edges coinciding with the inner line'of the trough 7, and their inner ends being providedwith the upturned flanges 18 that are positioned around the bearing 5 and a retaining ring 19 is located around these upturned flanges in order to retain these plates in position on top of said base.

The rotating frame of my improved mill is made in the form of a spider, and comprises a hub 20 that is rigidly fixed upon the shaft 6, and from which hub radiate the horizontally arranged arms 21, and uniting the outer ends of all of said arms is a continuous rim 22, in the edge of which is formed gear teeth 23.

Positioned between the inner ends of the arms 21 are bearing blocks 24, each being provided with a pair of laterally projecting trunnions 25 that are mounted in bearings 26 formed in the inner ends of said arms 21, and said trunnions are held in their positions by plates 27 that are removably positioned on top of the arms 21, adjacent the blocks 24.

Each block 24 is provided with a horizontally arranged aperture 28 that is formed at right angles to the trunnions 25, and passing through said aperture is the inner end of a shaft 29, which inner end is screw-threaded and adapted to receive adjusting nuts 30 on each side of each block 24.

Mounted for rotation on the outer end of each shaft 29 is a heavy grinding wheel 31 that is provided with a hardened flat periphery 32, and all of these wheels are intended to ride upon the continuous track 15.

Extending from one arm 21 to another and at points a suitable distance inside the rim 22 are the braces 33, the ends of which are bolted to the arms 21.

To the top side of each brace 33 is bolted a vertically arranged guide 34, in which is arranged for vertical movement a block 35, through which one of the shafts 29 pass.

The upper ends of the sides of the guides 34 are slotted as indicated by 36, and plates 37 are held by means of bolts on top of these guides to close the upper ends of these slots. Arranged for vertical movement in the upper ends of the'guides 34 are bearing plates 38 that' are provided with ears 39 that project through the slots 36, and expansive coil springs 40 are interposed between the plates 38 and the blocks 35. Arranged between each adjacent air of the guides 34 are equal.- izing bars 41, t e ends of which pass through the slots 36, and engage on top of the ears 39 and the plates 38.

Located on the center of each equalizing bar 41 is a saddle 42, which serves as a base for the lower end of a retractile coil spring 43, the upper end being inclosed by a circular plate 44. Passing over this plate 44 is the upper end of an inverted U-shaped yoke 45, the lower ends of which rest upon and pass through each arm 21, and there being nuts located upon the ends of said yokes that extend below said arms.

In some instances the coil springs 41 can be dispensed with, and when this is done the yokes 45 rest directly upon the saddles 42 that are carried by the equalizing bars 41, this construction being illustrated in Fig. 4.

- 46 indicates the curved scraper, the lower edge of which is formed on an angle corresponding to the inclination of the top of the base 1, and said scraper is provided with a pair of vertically positioned rods 47, the upper ends of which are detachably secured to an adjacent pair of the arms 21. There may be a number of these scrapers 46 provided, and they are so carried as that their lower edges ride just above the top surfaces of the lates 17, and said scrapers are so curved as that their tendency is to scrape or move the material on said plates 17 away from the edge thereof and toward the center (see Fig. 1).

Arranged above the center of the mill and supported by blocks 48 that are carried by the arms 21 is a ho per 49, in which is delivered the material that is to be ground in my improved mill. In the center of this hopper is a circular compartment 50 that is to receive the water that is delivered to the mill while performing the operation of grinding.

Leading downwardly from this compartment 50 to a point just outside the ring 19 is a tube 51, through which the water is discharged onto the plates 17.

Leading from the outer portions of the hopper 49, downwardlyto points just in front of each wheel 31, and above the track 15, are the spouts 52 that deliver the ore bearing material to the point where the grinding and crushing takes place. parted to the frame of my improved mill by means of gear wheel 53 that meshes with the gear teeth 23, said gear wheel 53 being fixed upon a vertical shaft 54 that is driven in any suitable manner.

The operation of my improved mill is as follows: The material to be ground, such as quartz or similar metalliferous rock is delivered into the hopper 49, which material having been previously crushed or broken up so that it will readily pass through the spouts 52. The frame of the mill and parts carried Rotary motion is ima thereby is now rotated and the material to be ground passes downwardly through the spouts 52 and discharges onto the track 15 and in the trough 7. The wheels 31 riding around upon said track will crush and grind said material and the slime produced by this crushing and grinding action will pass oif into the trough 7. The particles of ore being much heavier than the rock or material in which it was contained will gradually settle to the bottom of the trough 7, and the lighter portion of-said slime, which is the ground material which originally contained the ore, will fill up the trough on top of the ore, which gravitates to the bottom thereof. This'action is continued as the material travels down the spouts 52, and is delivered in front of each wheel 31. As the material fills up in said trough a portion of it will gradually fill in over the lower edges of the plates 17, and when the scrapers 46 come around in their travel over said plates 17 this material will be caught by said scrapers and gradually worked toward the center of the machine and toward the upper ends of said plates. Water is delivered in any suitable manner into the compartment 50 and passes from thence through the pipe 51, and is delivered therefrom in a continuous stream around the upper ends of the plates 17, and said water in flowing downwardly over said plates will naturally wash the lighter non-metallic particles of the slime downwardly into the trough 7. Thus, it will be seen how the scrapers, 46, while in operation continuously tend to scrape the material toward the upper ends of the plates, 17, and the water discharging from the pipe, 51, tends to wash said material downwardly into the trough, 7. This combined scraping and washing operation assists very materially in the separation of the particles of metal from the non-metallic particles, and the lighter material is washed off more quickly, and they finally discharge through the openings, 9. This continued grinding and washing out operation very thoroughly disintegrates all of the material that is discharged onto the track 15, and the lighter non-metallic particles of the slime after passing into the spaces 16 within the trough 7 will gradually gravitate down the inclined faces B from the points A in said trough to the openings 9 in the wall 8, and said lighter non-metallic particles will be washed off through said openings 9 and through the screens 12 covering the same. The particles of ore being heavier will, as heretofore stated, pass to the bottom of the spaces 16 in the trough 7, and will gradually gravitate down the inclined faces B and finally will pass out through the openings 14 and into the ore discharge spouts 13.

If desired, quicksilver may be delivered into the compartment 50 to discharge through the pipe 51, thereby materially increasing the operation of separating the ore from the ore-bearing material as it is moved over the plates 17 by the scrapers 46. This quicksilver, together with the ore, will finally pass out through the spouts 13. It will be noted that each grinding wheel 31 is independently arranged upon its shaft 29, and each shaft is yieldingly held in its corresponding block 35. The arrangement of the springs 40 and 43 and the equalizing bars 41 yieldingly retain the shafts 29 and grinding wheels in operative position, and the same work very smoothly and do not jump or create any undue strain while in operation.

The nuts 30 on opposite sides of the blocks 24 can be manipulated on the inner ends of the shafts 28 so as to move said shafts through the blocks 24 in either direction, and to correspondingly adjust the positions of the wheels 31 upon the track 15, thus permitting certain of the wheels to travel on the inner portion of the tread surface of the track, and other wheels to travel on the outer portion of the tread surface of said track.

The hopper 49 is carried upon the rotating frame of the mill, and therefore the entire weight of the material that is being ground is utilized to create pressure of the wheels 31 upon the grinding surface ofthe track 15. The inclination of the top surface of the trough 7 permits both the lighter and heavier particles of the slime to naturally gravitate toward their proper discharge openings.

My improved mill is very simple in construction and operation, isadapted for all classes of ore-bearing material, and is very durable and efficient.

The track 15 is made removable in order that the same may be renewed when becoming worn or broken. By providing the base 1 with a steam chamber said base can be very readily heated, which is very essential in grinding and separation of, certain kinds of material.

While my improved mill is in operation there is a natural centrifugal action of the water that is delivered onto the conical top of the base, and also of the materialthat piles up onto the lower edge of this base, and, by reason of the peculiar form and arrangement of the scrapers 46, this, centrifugal action is toa certain extent broken up or retarded, and the material is caused to be scraped toward the center of the mill, and the water and quicksilver passing downwardly over the conical top of the base will very effectively separate the heavier metallic portion of the slime from the lighter non-metallic portion. This centrifugal action is caused by the continuous travel of the rollers or wheels 31 around the edge of the base and the track 15.

I claim:

1. In an ore grinding mill, .a low conical base, a trough formed around the edge thereof, a series of segmental plates removably positioned on top tending base, upwardly extending lugs formed integral with the upper ends of the plates, a retaining ring arranged around the lugs, and a plurality of grinding wheels arranged to travel in the trough.

2. In a roller grinding mill, a base having a steam chamber therein, steam connections to said base, and which base is pro- Vided with a low conical top, a plurality of segmental plates arranged on the top of said base, a trough formed around the edge of said base, there being a pair of oppositely arranged openings in the outer wall of said trough, the bottom of which trough inclines upwardly in both directions from said openings, a frame arranged for horizontal rotation above the base, rollers carried by said frame that travel in the trough, a hopper carried by the frame, spouts leading from said hopper to points in front of the rollers in the trough, and a water discharge pipe arranged to deliver Water onto the segmental plates.

3. In a roller grinding mill, a base, a frame arranged for rotation above said base, radially arranged shafts having their inner ends pivotally connected to the frame adjacent the center thereof, grinding rollers carried by the outer ends of said shafts, and equalizing bars arranged between said shafts in such a manner that their ends bear upon an adjacent pair of shafts.

4. In a roller grinding mill, a base, a frame mounted for rotation above said base, a plurality of radially arranged shafts having their inner ends pivotally connected to the frame adjacent the center thereof, grinding rollers carried by the outer ends of the shafts and traveling upon the base, and spring held of the base and ex- 1 equalizing from the trou h to the apex of the I ally arranged shafts so that the ends of said with a low conical bars arranged between the radibars yieldingly engage upon top of each adjacent pair of shafts.

5. In an ore rinding mill, constructed base, wheels operating on said base, vertically movable shafts pivotally connected at their inner ends and carry ing said wheels, and a series of spring held equalizing bars positioned so that their ends bear upon an adjacent pair of the shafts.

6. In an ore grinding mill of'the class described, a base, a circular trough formed in said base, the bottom of the gutter of which trough inclines upwardly in both directions from opposite points in said trough, a frame arranged to rotate horizontally above the base, a series of radially arranged shafts pivotally held at their inner ends to the frame adjacent the center thereof, grinding wheels carried by the outer ends of the shafts and which travel in the trough, and a series of spring held equalizing bars arranged in the frame so that their ends bear upon an adjacent pair of the shafts.

7. In a roller grinding mill, a base, a rotating frame arranged above said base, longitudinally adjustable shafts pivotally connected at their inner ends to the frame,

spring held equalizing bars arranged in the frame so that their ends bear on an adjacent pair of shafts, and grinding wheels carried by the outer ends of the shafts.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES D, MOLURE.

Witnesses:

MARTIN P. SMITH, Enw. M. HARRINGTON. 

